NAME ROLL NO.

PIYUSH ZINZALA 14SA162

DHAVAL KARKAR 14SA122

JEEGAR VARIYA 14SA134

YASH BANKER 14SA180

CHINTAN BAROT 14SA120

What is Noise?

In daily life, noise means unwanted

sound.

As you have no doubt experienced,

unwanted sounds can include

distractions, sounds that are loud

enough to damage hearing and

even sound leakage that could

affect privacy.

In architecture, one of the many goals of the designer is to create rooms and buildings

that maximize sound performance. This means that unwanted sounds should be

prevented, and desired sounds should be enhanced.

Health Effects

• According to the USEPA, there are direct links between noise and health. Also, noise pollution adversely affects the lives of millions of people.

• Noise pollution can damage physiological and psychological health.

• High blood pressure, stress related illness, sleep disruption, hearing loss, and productivity loss are the problems related to noise pollution.

• It can also cause memory loss, severe depression, and panic attacks.

Sources of Noise Pollution

• Transportation systems are the main source of noise pollution in urban areas.

• Construction of buildings, highways, and streets cause a lot of noise, due to the usage of air compressors, bulldozers, loaders, dump trucks, and pavement breakers.

• Industrial noise also adds to the already unfavorable state of noise pollution.

• Loud speakers, plumbing, boilers, generators, air conditioners, fans, and vacuum cleaners add to the existing noise pollution.

• Planting bushes and trees in and around sound generating sources is an

effective solution for noise pollution.

• Regular servicing and tuning of automobiles can effectively reduce the noise

pollution.

• Buildings can be designed with suitable noise absorbing material for the walls,

windows, and ceilings.

• Workers should be provided with equipments such as ear plugs and earmuffs for

hearing protection.

Solutions for Noise Pollution

• Similar to automobiles, lubrication of the machinery and servicing should be

done to minimize noise generation.

• Soundproof doors and windows can be installed to block unwanted noise

from outside.

• Regulations should be imposed to restrict the usage of play loudspeakers in

crowded areas and public places.

• Factories and industries should be located far from the residential areas.

• Community development or urban management should be done with long-term

planning, along with an aim to reduce noise pollution.

• Social awareness programs should be taken up to educate the public about

the causes and effects of noise pollution.

What is Noise?Difference Between Noise and Sound Intensity Level

Noise is a subjective and relative perception, but sound intensity level is a

scientific measure of the power of sound.

Even if a sound source has a relatively low sound intensity level, some individuals

might find a certain frequency of sound wave annoying because the human ear

reacts differently to different frequencies of sound (pitches) and the hearing ability of

individuals is subjective.

Sound intensity level can only be used as a standard to identify the volume of

sound that could cause hearing damage. It does not represent the exact

perception of the sound to individuals.

What is Noise?Sound Transmission in Architecture

Sources of Noise

The two major sources of noise in architecture are:1.Airborne noise, or sound waves transmitted from a source to a receiver through the air.

2.Structure-borne noise is caused by vibration from within the building caused by footsteps or

machines. The vibration is directly transferred through the building’s structures and materials.

A. The sound of a plane’s engine is a kind of exterior airborne sound that may affect communities

near airports.

B. The MTR’s operating systems are quiet, but the vibration of the train rail generates exterior

structure-borne noise.

C. In a gymnasium, cheering spectators may cause interior airborne noise to the surrounding rooms,

while the athletes’ activities generate interior structure-borne noise.

A B C

What is Noise?Sound Transmission in Architecture

What is Noise?Noise transmission paths

Sound waves travel from the source to the receiver via

multiple paths. Altering the paths of sound transmission

is a common way to control noise in architecture.

When sound strikes on a surface, part of the sound

reflects off the wall surface back into the space, and part

of it is transmitted through the wall to the space beyond.

Flanking transmission of sound

Flanking transmission is the

propagation of sound wave via

building elements.

An air gap can stop the

transmission of sound effectively.

[Discussion]

How is unwanted sound

transmitted in this diagram?

Noise Control through Architectural DesignPossible Perspectives

• Sound reduction required from the meeting room

= 45 - 35 dB = 10dB

• Sound reduction required from the nearby sports

courts = 70 – 25 dB = 45dB

The wall of the meeting room should have a Sound

Reduction Index ranging from 10 dB to 45 dB.

According to the graph of Sound Reduction Index, three

building materials could be suitable for the meeting

room:

• 50 mm Plastered Breeze Block (a light concrete

building block made with cinder aggregate)

• 9 mm Glass

• 0.7 mm Sheet Steel

Sound Reduction Index of common building materials

(Source: “Noise Control in Mechanical Services”, 1972)

After obtaining the data from an acoustic consultant,

architects decide what materials should be used for

the functions and aesthetics of the space.

Other considerations include structural tolerance,

environmental concerns and universal design for all

users.

Double-glazing

An operable double-glazed window provides

horizontally offset openings that allows natural

ventilation while preventing direct propagation of

traffic noise. The narrow path between the double

window panes dissipates sound energy and lowers

noise levels relatively.

Noise Control through Architectural DesignPossible Perspectives

A double-leaf plywood wall could be constructed with a row of double-glazed operable

clerestory windows for natural lighting and ventilation.

Double-partition wall insulation

When two sound barriers are completely separated and

isolated from one another, sound insulating performance is

enhanced. Sound absorption materials like mineral wool

can be used to fill the cavity for extra sound insulation

against flanking transmission.© NAP Acoustics (Far East) Ltd

Noise Control through Architectural DesignRedirecting Sound away from Receivers

Artificial noise screen

Noise barriers can redirect the paths of noise away from receivers. They can be artificial (for example, a

wall) or natural (a forest).

One common application for noise barriers is to prevent traffic sounds from penetrating nearby

neighborhoods or habitats.

Sometimes noise barriers are integrated with the building design. Noise sensitive buildings like

residential blocks may be built above a podium or a shopping mall that inhibits the transmission of noise

to the apartments.

[Discussion]Can you identify the noise sources and barriers in the images and trace the sound transmission paths?

Mark them on the following picture.

Noise Control through Architectural Design

Noise Control through Architectural Design

Kwai Tsing Theatre

Kowloon’s Kwai Tsing Theatre illustrates how architectural design can be used to protect

quiet spaces against airborne and structure-borne noises from inside and outside the

theatre. Its location next to the MTR railway and heavy traffic is particularly challenging given the

requirements of the theatre’s multifunctional spaces, which sometimes host simultaneous events.

Noise Control through Architectural DesignKwai Tsing Theatre

Springs placed on the pile caps of the building can absorb exterior structure-borne noise before it is

transmitted to the interior. Theatre and music rooms are built inside an isolated shield to reduce flanking

transmission of noise.

Noise Control through Architectural DesignKwai Tsing Theatre

Improving the Sound Reduction Index of the Structure

The ceilings, walls and floors of the theatre are isolated from building structure by springs or resilient

pads. An air gap around the floating floors and suspended ceilings also improves the Sound

Reduction Index of the structure.

Noise Control through Architectural DesignCase Study – Kwai Tsing Theatre

The air gap is the most important factor – increasing it (rather than increasing the mass of the

floors) would achieve greater reductions in noise as compared to increasing the mass of the

structure or the floating floor.

Thank you